From Jimmy Panetta’s Office
Congressman Panetta met with Mr. Chris Stubbs, Acting Forest Supervisor for Los Padres National Forest, and Mr. Tyrone Kelley, Regional Engineer, to discuss the Nacimiento-Ferguson Road repair project. During the call, the Congressman stressed the importance of the project to his constituents and urged the USFS to act quickly on these repairs. He noted that the Fall 2023 completion date just does not work for the urgent nature of the project. The FS staff stated they understand the urgency and are also hearing from constituents on a regular basis, urging them to push along the project. They said they are regularly working with all interested parties to speed up the timeline and make critical repairs. The next steps of the project involve working to complete the NEPA process with FHWA and completing a design proposal. Then, they will work to get all necessary state-level permits. Congressman Panetta committed to holding FHWA and the USFS accountable for progress on the project and offered his support in moving it along in anyway way that he can.
Back here at home, repairs had completed the east side and the first mile or two of the east side, last I heard, before the big storms. Just to be clear, these repairs are simply to prevent losing the road all together, they are not to fascillitate public use, only emergency use.
The County road has proved to be an important and irreplaceable asset for emergency repairs of Highway one & fire fighting . Also a coastal commission asset for public access to Pacific Valley / Kirk Creek / Lucia area from the Salinas Valley .
Somewhat reluctant to put a ‘like’ to this post. It’s a tough situation. Hope they manage to fix it as quickly as is humanly possible. T’aint always easy messing with Mother Nature.